A widespread booing filled the combat arena, with most of the audience angered by the outcome and demanding justice.

-HE CHEATED!-

-DISQUALIFY THAT BASTARD!-

-HE LEFT THE ARENA!-

The people who had bet on the divine emissary were numerous, not to mention those who genuinely supported him for his work in the slums.

The healers hired by the tavern owner, old Alan, quickly entered the arena and began treating the combatants, using sacred powers similar to those of the church.

-What a disaster this boy is... he always puts me in a bind- said old Alan as he headed towards the center of the arena. He was going to calm things down and decide the outcome.

-HE WON LEGALLY, YOU SON OF A BITCH!-

BAM.

A dwarf in the audience threw a punch at a human who wouldn’t stop shouting.

-DAMN DWARF!-

BAAAM.

The friend of the punched man turned and kicked the dwarf, sending him flying.

-YOU'RE GONNA PAY!-

A dwarf drew a short sword and charged at the man.

BZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.

A buzzing sound echoed around, and the human along with the dwarves fell to the ground due to a sudden loss of balance.

-Good night, dear audience-

The noisy crowd attentively watched the man standing in the arena and stopped arguing; the owner of the bar, the Sonic Knight, was a figure of respect and fear.

-As you’ve seen, we had an exciting and heated finale. It’s normal for things to get a bit riled up and for some customers to get a little too excited, don’t you think?-

The old man’s eyes coldly looked at the human and the dwarves who were getting back on their feet. The group quickly nodded while sweat ran down their faces.

-In light of what happened, I have decided to give my verdict. It wasn’t stipulated in the rules that the roof was an external part, so technically, the foreigner never left the arena. However, from now on, the roof will be considered an external part of the arena, so anyone who climbs on it will be disqualified. Therefore, this move will be valid only this one time.- Old Alan sighed wearily at the situation.

The murmuring grew, and arguments could be heard among the audience, most of whom felt dissatisfied with what had happened. However, rules were rules, and there was nothing they could do about it.

-Hehehe, my noble knight, I knew you would win; you make this lady so happy- Alice was smiling from ear to ear as she followed Martin to the dressing room. The healers had finished their emergency treatment and were moving him to rest.

In one of the VIP boxes, a dark-skinned man with a crest on his head was jumping and dancing with excitement.

-HAHAHAHAHA, I TOLD YOU!-

-I TOLD YOU, CRAZY DOG!-

-FOREIGNER, YOU'RE MY BEST FRIEND NOW! HAHAHA-

-Tchh... should’ve bet too.-

-Don’t feel bad, Crazy Dog, I’ll treat you to the round today.-

-Shut up, bastard! I don’t want your charity!- The man called Crazy Dog was looking regretfully at the combat arena.

-HAHAHA, AS YOU WISH.-

-You’re so annoying, you son of a bitch. Go enjoy it in silence...-

A fleeting thought crossed the fierce man’s mind, and he directed his gaze toward Big Bull.

-By the way, did the kid use your technique, or am I wrong? I saw him change direction at the last second.-

-Mmm... Now that I think about it, you’re right. That was my technique; the foreigner used it to avoid the shockwave and attack after the discharge.- Big Bull stopped laughing and got lost in thought for a few seconds.

-What a terrifying talent, he understood the essence of the technique just by seeing it once, that damn rat.-

-He’s not even a natural yet- Crazy Dog quickly replied.

-Tchh... let’s drink another round, it’s better not to get involved with that guy any further.-

The duo of men continued drinking, and the matter was buried deep in their minds when a pair of beast women with large breasts, slim waists, and beautiful faces entered the VIP room.

In the other VIP boxes, chaos could be seen due to the unexpected defeat of the favorite; many wealthy clients suffered significant losses, leading them to vent their anger on the furniture, destroying and throwing objects everywhere. However, this would be deducted from their accounts, or else old Alan would have to pay them a visit.

In a corner of the combat arena, a group of hooded men looked on with annoyance as the unconscious divine emissary was being taken away. They belonged to the religious order of pilgrims to which he belonged.

-Sir, the plan is ruined- said a hooded man with red eyes.

-That fool got cocky and screwed everything up- added a robust man with blue eyes.

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

-We’ll have to go with plan B- replied a man with golden eyes who stood out from the rest due to his towering height, easily over 2 meters.

-You know what to do, may the Goddess guide your way- the man with golden eyes gave simple instructions and walked toward the center of the arena.

The rest of the hooded men made a hand symbol in response and dispersed among the crowd. They all belonged to the same religious order that served the Goddess of Generosity. They used to go around the slums helping people while wearing brown robes with hoods, just like the divine emissary, and the entire group was completely bald.

After calming the crowd and offering a round of free drinks, old Alan was about to leave the stage and let the show continue. However, a man with golden eyes who stood out among the crowd looked at him intently with a sinister smile.

BOOOOOOOOOOM.

-What was that!-

BOOOOOOOOOOM.

-What’s happening!-

BOOOM BOOOM BOOOM BOOOM BOOOM BOOOM.

An unprecedented bombardment began to explode across the courtyard where the tournament was taking place.

-AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH, MY LEG!-

-RUN, THEY'RE ATTACKING!-

-HELP! HELP!-

Panic spread in the blink of an eye among the crowd as explosions occurred everywhere. The hooded men were exploding among the people, causing severe damage to the surroundings.

-What are those bastards doing!-

-Sons of bitches, I never trusted you!-

Some spectators among the chaotic and noisy herd of people realized the situation and hurriedly moved away from the hooded men, while others threw themselves on top of them, trying to stop the terrorist attack. The guards were caught by surprise and took time to react to the events.

-Let’s go, kill those bastards!-

-Take this, you bald bastard!-

-Die!-

The guards drew long and short swords and charged at the pilgrims of the religious order. Meanwhile, a group of mercenaries specifically hired for the tournament's final was engaged in fierce combat.

A group of four hooded men headed to the tavern to block the audience’s exit and create more chaos. However, the mercenaries noticed the situation and decided to clear the exit. Unlike the bomb men among the crowd, these individuals looked dangerous and radiated a sinister aura.

The mercenaries were composed of five men, each wielding a different weapon to complement each other.

-Watch out, Robert!-

The hooded man with red eyes had launched a burst of fire while another from the order with green eyes immediately followed with a gust of wind.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM.

A massive explosion shook a rear wall of a nearby building, scorching everything in its path.

-That was close... those bastards are combining abilities, don’t get too close- said the man named Robert, who seemed to be the leader.

-I’ll cover you, find an opening- a short-haired, red-haired girl began firing arrows at the man with red eyes.

BAAM.

An ice wall appeared in front of the pilgrims, and a man with blue eyes had both hands extended.

-TAKE THIS!- A white-haired, heavily muscled elf swung a giant two-handed axe.

BAM.

A hooded man with brown eyes stopped the attack with his bare hands without much difficulty.

-YOU BASTARD!- A small girl with dark hair and wolf ears came from the side and buried both daggers into the brown-eyed man’s waist.

Slaaaash.

A blade of wind shot out towards the dark-haired girl.

BOOONG.

The brown-haired man named Robert blocked the magical attack with his shield.

-Lisa, look for an opening! Doyle, keep that damn tank at bay!-

-Ana, keep the pressure from a distance!-

In a moment, the group reorganized, and the archer kept attacking while moving from side to side, dodging the fire attacks. Doyle engaged in a brutal strength battle with the brown-eyed man, while Robert and Lisa kept the blue and green-eyed men at bay.

-Brother, we’re losing!- shouted the red-eyed hooded man in desperation.

-These bastards are too strong!- The frustration was evident in the tone of the blue-eyed hooded man, whose ice barriers were being destroyed one after another.

-This idiot blocks everything, I can’t do anything!- The green-eyed hooded man kept launching wind blades and gusts of air, but the man named Robert blocked all his attempts.

-It’s the old man in the back! He’s constantly empowering the group and enchanting that fool’s shield!- The brown-eyed hooded man was in a stalemate against the muscular elf.

At the rear of the mercenary group, an old, hunched man was reciting miracles and blessings; he was a priest who had followed the path of adventure outside the church.

-These heretics are not believers of the Goddess!- said the hunched old man angrily.

-The Goddess of Generosity has not blessed these blasphemers!- A lightning bolt descended from the sky and struck the newly formed ice barrier, shattering it instantly.

-Now, Lisa!-

-I know!- The wolf girl did a somersault in the air as her tail swayed from side to side and entered through the newly made opening in the ice wall. She kicked the blue-eyed hooded man in the head, sending him flying.

-Damn beast!- The red-eyed hooded man suddenly turned in a fit of rage and launched a fireball at the beast girl.

CLAAANK.

The sound of the block was different from the previous ones; it was harmonious to hear, like a newly played musical note. Instead of being blocked, the fireball was subtly deflected and hit the green-eyed hooded man, who was about to launch an attack. Robert had performed a parry, one of the most difficult techniques for any fighter to execute.

BOOOM.

The green-eyed man was sent flying into the wall of a building.

-Brothe-AAAAAAAAAGGGGGG!- Three arrows were buried in succession in the right arm of the red-eyed hooded man. The archer named Ana had seized the moment of distraction and attacked without hesitation.

Lisa infused her daggers with a dark aura and quickly charged towards the brown-eyed man, while Robert attacked the red-eyed hooded man, who was screaming in fury and about to channel a spell.

Slash Slash.

A pair of daggers imbued with darkness easily pierced the ankles of the brown-eyed man; the wolf girl had slid across the ground and attacked both ankles.

BAAAAM.

Doyle made a horizontal slash at chest height, and the brown-eyed man was sent rolling across the ground like a ball.

BAAAAM.

The red-eyed hooded man managed to dodge the sword attack, but Robert quickly spun and struck the man’s face with his shield.

-Finish them off!- Robert ordered without hesitation.

-RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWW!-

The mercenary group abruptly stopped in their tracks; the roar from a moment ago had paralyzed their actions, their skin was crawling, and a strange sensation of terror churned their stomachs.

The five mercenaries turned their heads in unison towards the combat arena, where, standing before Alan the Sonic Knight, was a badly wounded and battered man with golden eyes and a bald head. His clothes were in tatters, his body covered in wounds, and he was kneeling before the former knight.

The people who had been running in panic stopped at the roar and were paralyzed with fear; the guards and the few remaining pilgrims also stopped and looked fearfully towards the combat arena. The noisy and chaotic scene was now quiet and silent; no one dared to even breathe loudly.

-Damn murderer!- The golden-eyed man’s voice echoed throughout the block; his tone had changed, emitting immense pressure.

-Today, I will bring the end upon you sinners!- A majestic aura like nothing seen before flooded every corner of the area. The buildings trembled with each of the man’s words as if he were a giant.

-Today, the Goddess of Nature will settle her debts!- The golden-eyed man glowed intensely with a divine radiance, his numerous wounds vanishing without a trace.

BAM.

Alan was sent flying, breaking everything in his path, and crashed into an old warehouse that collapsed.

The golden-eyed man had appeared before him without giving him time to react and punched him in the abdomen with a simple strike.

-Coff coff coff... bitch...- A large mouthful of blood was vomited by Alan as he struggled to stand up.

“I knew this day would come” fleeting memories flashed through Alan’s mind; his former life as a knight hadn’t been entirely honorable and grand. On several occasions, he had been forced to carry out unworthy and unreasonable orders, staining his hands and sword.

His hands had been covered with innocent blood for a long time, and today had come the day to pay for his crimes.

-I remember you now... damn Fallen Goddess- Alan gripped his rapier, and an orange-colored aura began to cover his weapon.

-You’ll pay for everything- the golden-eyed man rose into the air, and a majestic aura enveloped the surroundings. The day of final judgment had arrived.